Ill. by Henrietta Strickland. 25th Anniversary edition. Macmillan
Children's Books, 2019. ISBN: 9781509885398.
(Age: 4+) Recommended. Themes: Dinosaurs, Humour, Verse, Rhyme,
Prediction, Comparisons. Celebrating twenty five years since its
first publication, Dinosaur roar! continues to intrigue, delight and
scare those small children who pick it up to read. All children
thrill at the idea of dinosaurs, and learn their names quickly and
easily, recognising their size, shape, colours and behaviour with
accuracy.
In this book, each double page has several different dinosaurs
pictured with the simplest text across the bottom of each page,
telling the reader something about the animal. The opening pages,
dinosaur roar and dinosaur squeak show a large toothed animal
filling most of the left hand side page, while the next page has a
much smaller animal. Each animal depicted will have the audience
enthralled as they look at its fierce mouth and teeth, its scaly
skin, long legs and clawed feet, prompting them to recognise the
animal shown. They will also readily understand the differences
between each animal and the words used to describe them. Turning the
page is another noisy dinosaur with dinosaur fierce across the page
and on the next a larger animal cowers, with the words, dinosaur
meek. Children will love seeing the difference between the size of
the animals and their fierceness, and understand the difference
between the two opposing words presented on each page, while having
fun predicting the rhyming word.
The images will delight younger readers, enjoying the humour,
predicting the rhymes, and reprising all the animals on the last two
double pages where their dietary needs are shown. Included in the
endpaper is a fold out poster of the whole book which when put up
will further extend the wonder of the book.
The illustrations are wonderful, full of fun, filling the pages with
colour and movement, depicting these amazing animals with gusto. I
love the slimy dinosaur, its hide dripping with slime and goo from
its environment, prompting readers to ask where it lives. This is a
wonderful book, subtly revealing information about dinosaurs and
prompting discussion and research. Republished in conjunction with
the Natural History Museum, London.
Fran Knight
The Rift by Rachael Craw
Walker Books, 2018. ISBN 9781760650025.
Age: 14+) Highly recommended. Themes: Fantasy. Fitting in. When Meg
Archer returns to Black Water Island after being away for nine
years, she discovers that the Island is facing danger from the Rift.
Her mother had taken her to the mainland after an accident had left
her and her friend Cal scarred and traumatised. Cal is now a Ranger
and trying very hard to fit in with the elite group who have guarded
the Old Herd from the Rift for generations. When it opens, death
follows and both Cal and Meg have a role to play in protecting the
Island and the Old Herd.
Fans of Maggie Stiefvater and Garth Nix will relish this offering
from Craw whose world building is unforgettable. Black Island has a
mixture of real world buildings and people who carry on daily
activities that are familiar, while there is a barracks of highly
trained Rangers who guard the sacred deer. Ley lines cross the
island and myths and legends abound about the nature of the Rift and
the Old Herd.
Craw's characters too are really memorable and the reader will
easily sympathise with Cal's difficulties of fitting in with Rangers
who have been born to the task, while he has come from humble
fisherman beginnings. He has been given the Rift sight, but
struggles with knowing what to do, while not helped by Sargent,
Meg's father and a very hard task master. Meg on the other hand has
spent her life on the mainland, training to be as fit as possible in
the hope that she could become a Ranger and join her father, even
against her mother's wishes. The slow burning relationship between
the pair will satisfy fans who enjoy some romance. However what will
keep the reader engrossed is the complex plot, the action and the
coming of age story of both Cal and Meg as they struggle to keep the
herd safe from the hunters who want them for a new drug.
This was a stunning, original stand-alone story with a gripping
narrative, strange world and heroic characters. Fans of The rift
will, like me, want to discover other books by Rachael Craw.
Pat Pledger
All are welcome by Alexandra Penfold
Ill. by Suzanne Kaufman. Bloomsbury, 2019. ISBN 9781526604071
(Age: 3+) Highly recommended. Themes: Diversity. Schools. Families.
Community. Told in four line stanzas where the first three lines
rhyme, the verse rolls easily off the tongue and the repeated last
line ensure children will catch on quickly and repeat the last line
together with the reader. That last line, 'All are welcome', sets
the tone for the book as it shows in both text and illustrations the
variety of children, families and adults that are involved in our
schools. The author based this story on her daughter's school in
Seattle, USA, where diversity and community are celebrated, and she
designed a poster to celebrate just that, taking it further with
this book.
Each page brims with inclusiveness and being involved, no matter
where you come from, or what you eat, how you dress or pray. The
classroom is shown with a large number of flags across the
blackboard and a world map to indicate the origins of many of the
students, but it matters not: they all play and eat together, go
home at night with their families, sleep in a bed then return to
school the next day. The diversity of families too is included, the
illustrations making it clear that everyone is the same, they are
all in a family caring for their kids.
The illustrations reinforce the similarities of us all: the
classroom routines, the playtime, going home after school, eating
dinner then getting ready for bed. The illustrations serve to link
all children together, and students will love spying out the
similarities and smattering of differences between their schools and
those in the USA, and have a go at saying all the versions of
'welcome' in other languages on the last double page in the book.
Fran Knight
Albert Einstein by Wil Mara
Ill. by Charlotte Agar. Penguin Random House, 2019. ISBN
9780241322918.
(Age: 10+) Recommended. Albert Einstein is perhaps best known as a
remarkable scientist, but he was also a complex human being. He was
a brilliant but rebellious student, a patent clerk whose theories
about physics and cosmology transformed our understanding of the
universe, a Nobel Prize winner, an activist for peace and a refugee
from Fascism. Einstein was a pacifist but his warning about Hitler's
plan to develop an atomic bomb contributed to the American
government's decision to create nuclear weapons.
Wil Mara has incorporated the elements of Einstein' life into an
engaging and informative narrative that interweaves the scientist's
personal life and experiences with explanations of scientific
concepts and political turmoil. Mara's writing is particularly
effective when providing insights into Einstein's state of mind,
whether it was his childhood loneliness, his lifelong curiosity, his
passion for music or his determined opposition to racism and armed
conflict. The breakdown of Einstein's first marriage and the regret
he felt after atomic bombs were dropped on Japan are described with
directness and sensitivity.
Short, well-constructed sentences and a large font facilitate
reading by a younger audience. Text boxes which explain scientific
theories and historical events, photographs and hand-drawn
illustrations add to the reader's understanding without intruding on
the narrative. The family tree, timeline, list of characters,
glossary and index are useful keys to the text. However, a list of
selected references or a brief explanation of the author's research
process might have enhanced the book's credibility.
The mark of an effective biography may be its ability to reveal that
someone who is celebrated for his extraordinary achievements can
also experience doubts and setbacks. If so, then Wil Mara's
biography of Albert Einstein has succeeded in explaining the complex
man behind the famous name.
Elizabeth Bor
Eve and the Kraken hunt by Jess Black
Ill. by Celeste Hulme. Keeper of the Crystals book 8. New
Frontier, 2018. ISBN 9781925594430.
(Age: 6-8) Themes: Fantasy. Dragons. Octopus. Jess Black's Keeper
of the Crystals series are fun beginning chapter books with a
dash of fantasy, adventure and an environmental message. Friends Eve
and Oscar have uncovered the special secret power of crystals and in
each story, they travel into a different and dangerous world to help
with a crisis.
The friends are staying at Marigold Beach with Eve's grandmother
Sylvie. The children love to explore the beach and rock pools as
Ingvar the dragon flies in the sky. Eve's discovered an endangered
octopus who has been hiding under an outcrop. Oscar and Eve have a
lively discussion about the creature's appearance and habitat. Just
as she reaches down to touch the purple body, she feels a familiar
sensation, grabs the octopus crystal and Oscar's hand. Surrounded by
the dragon's wings they are transported into another world, on board
a ship hunting for the mysterious sea monster the Kraken.
Eve lands on the deck and tries to blend in with the tough looking
crew who are busy unwinding coils of rope. She observes six sailors
preparing to fire large crossbows into the sea to kill the feared
monster. Luckily, Eve is knocked down the stairs into the dark
sailors' sleeping quarters by Leif a young deckhand. As the ship
suddenly lists to one side Eve and Leif run up to the deck, Eve
senses the giant animal's feelings and rushes to help it.
Jess Black's beautiful descriptions of the huge octopus, the way it
rescues both Oscar and Leif and the compassion shown by Eve is
heart-warming. Young readers will enjoy the final chapters and the
unique way Selsiod the octopus forms new friendships. Celeste Homes'
sketches are delightful chapter headings. Eve and the Kraken hunt is another engaging chapter book for
young readers who enjoy fantasy and animal stories.
Rhyllis Bignell
The chaos of now by Erin Lange
Faber and Faber, 2018. ISBN: 9780571317479.
(Age: 13+) Highly recommended. Themes: Suicide, Bullying,
Cyberbullying, Schools, Power, Monitoring. A disturbing opening page
will ensure young adults read to the last page, so incensed at the
suicide that they will want to see the bullies brought to justice.
That Jordan was being bullied was not a secret, but his response
shocked the school into placing cybermonitors on the computing
system to stop such things happening again. Eli is amazed at this
response by the school; all done without consultation or getting to
the main problem. Lip service is given to making people aware,
having anti bullying signs around the school and a gratuitous
memorial service for Jordan after 12 months has elapsed. It makes
Eli sick, but he has problems of his own with his father bringing
home a woman to live in the house, and a nasty run in with one of
the school bullies, Malcolm.
A computer nerd, Eli is a coder, one of a small group of people for
whom the binary system is a language he can speak without fear, able
to hack into the school's computer system with ease, at one stage
hacking into the local police system, with disastrous consequences.
Two other geeks seek him out. They were friends of Jordan and had
planned to enter and win a computer hacking competition which would
bring them to the attention of corporations and the possibility of
work in an area they know well. With Jordan gone, Eli is their next
choice. But they are not just interested in winning a competition.
They want to heap revenge upon those students who bullied Jordan,
and they use their computer skills to achieve this.
This is an up to the minute look at the skills of the millenials,
able to use computers for their own ends, stretching the notions of
morality confining earlier users of technology, seeing possibilities
and uses beyond those proposed by their teachers. This is a most
unsettling look at the problem of cyber bullying, where the skills
of those perpetrators outstrip those of the monitors and Eli and his
friends represent those who are willing to use their skills to bring
down those who would bully. But have they turned into bullies
themselves? In posting some of the videos they illegally access
online, exposing one as a drug cheat, another as a racist another
dressing in his mother's clothes for a video, the question arises
about who is bullying who? Eli at first sees himself as exposing
wrong, but in doing this he becomes a vigilante, one who is outside
the law, taking the law into his own hands.
The line between right and wrong, black and white becomes very
blurred and makes for a read which will make people think about the
consequences of cyber bullying and how to deal with it. Readers will
want to know how Eli comes out of this, after all he and the others
have committed criminal acts.
Fran Knight
Bear in the Woods by R. A. Spratt
The Peski Kids book 2. Penguin, 2019. ISBN: 9780143788836.
(Age: 9-12) Recommended. Themes: Brothers and Sisters, Country Life,
Bears, Festivals. Bear in the Woods begins with an update on
the Peski kids' mother Dr Banfield, still held in an Eastern
European jail after a determined fight to escape. Meanwhile, her
family remains in the eccentric country town of Currawong, living
with their horticulturist father who's constantly worried about
their safety. He's afraid the evil Kolektiv team will discover their
whereabouts, and all he wants is for the children to keep a low
profile! A burning computer in Joe's bedroom begins this hilariously
crazy fast-paced adventure. With the help of Ingrid, the neighbour's
au pair and Dad's sprinkler system, the blaze is contained. Why
would anyone want to destroy the computer - maybe there is some data
hidden inside?
Drama and disaster seem to follow Joe, April and Fin who love to
argue and bicker; however they pull together in a crisis. With $1000
to purchase a new computer the Peski kids set off for Currawong
where the whole town is turning yellow, preparing for Daffodil Day.
Just like a car without brakes travelling downhill, the Peskis soon
find themselves in an out of control sequence of events. April's
fierce little dog Pumpkin chases a cat up a pole, Constable Pike
then steps in and each of the kids has fifty hours community
service. Whilst out in the bush clearing rubbish and debris from the
creek April is swept away in a flash flood. After some desperate
moments she struggles ashore, concussed and bruised, confronted by a
large, black bear. Why doesn't anyone else believe April; even her
brothers question her mental state? How does Fin's hours of
community service at the crazy Cat Lady's house and animal barn
provide unexpected answers?
R. A. Spratt takes the crazy cast of Currawong characters on a
humorous and madcap journey. April visits a mad psychiatrist with
her ancient aluminium caravan-office parked in the middle of Main
Street; she's chased by Officer Oddinson of Animal Control on the
loose with his tranquiliser gun and the kids have confrontations
with the mayor and Constable Pike.
The author's humorous and witty style of writing, dash of romance,
family dramas and her fast-paced plot make Bear in the Woods
a fabulous class novel for students in the Upper Primary. What's
next for feisty Peski Kids?
Rhyllis Bignell
Alcheringa Flowers: A book about Spring by Toni Cary
Little Steps, 2018. ISBN: 9781925839111.
(Age: 7+) Themes: Seasons, Dogs, Snowy Mountains - Flora and Fauna.
Toni Cary's love of the Snowy Mountains in New South Wales, the
flora and fauna, bushland, creeks, farms and mountain peaks shine
through in Alcheringa Flowers. This is a celebration of
Springtime, renewal, and new life 'bringing with it a fresh
experience of discovery.' Her wonderfully descriptive phrases
capture the changes in weather from light zephyr breezes to
'heartwarming sunshine and breathtakingly beautiful storms.' Cary's
alliterative phrases and lovely descriptions evoke the emotions the
author feels in her familiar environments.
Told by Francine the Pyrenean mountain dog, a friend and protector
to the creatures who live here, we see the world from her
perspective. Franc the European goldfinch lines his 'compact-cup
shaped nest' with the dog's fur. She completes a circuit at dawn and
dusk, observing the lizards', skinks' and frogs' activities. Later
in the morning Francine listens to Egbert the emu's grunting as he
cares for his 'nine huge teal-coloured eggs'. Danger is averted in
the Egg Manor chook yard when Rene the fox is quickly chased away by
the barking growling dog. Follow Bijou the brumby, Ella Emu and
Morris Magpie as they travel on a lengthy journey with Francine in
search of a koala family.
Moments of joy, keen observations and environmental messages are
contained in Toni Carey's Alcheringa Flowers. Her detailed
pastel pencil illustrations capture closeups of the flora and fauna,
the colourful skies and landscapes. Silvery outlines and bright
flashes add sparkle. Using white text on colourful backgrounds is at
times difficult to read; accessibility is important for all readers.
Her four Alcheringa stories will cover the seasons in the Snowy
Mountains, Alcheringa
Snow, Flowers, Sunshine and Rain.
For animal lovers and those who enjoy the wonders of the Australian
landscape this is a story just right for sharing.
Rhyllis Bignell
A honeybee heart has five openings by Helen Jukes
Simon and Schuster, 2018. ISBN: 9781471167713.
(Age: Senior secondary - Adult) Highly recommended. Subtitled A
year of keeping bees, Helen Jukes' book is a mix of memoir and
research project. Set in Oxford, England, it tells of her decision
following her move into a shared house with her friend Becky, to set
up a beehive down the bottom of the garden. Jukes had previously
learnt about beekeeping from her bee-enthusiast friend Luke who has
hives set up all around London. Now Jukes has just started a new job
which was turning out to be very stressful, and it is while she is
attempting to destress in the garden that the idea occurs to her
that she has the perfect spot to set up her own beehive. That
thought sets in train Jukes' research into bees, because she doesn't
just want a hive, she wants to learn absolutely everything she can
about bees. Her curiosity has her researching ancient texts about
bees, hive designs and the art of beekeeping; she joins the
Oxfordshire Natural Beekeeping Group; and she visits the
entomologist archives of Oxford's natural history museum. She
follows up all sorts of interesting questions such as whether you
can 'know' all your bees, whether they are changed by being watched,
and whether they sense your mood.
The book isn't just a research project though, in the process we
learn about Jukes herself, her unusual mix of friends, and her
struggles with how to manage her job and whether she should stick at
it or not. And interestingly many of the questions she unravels
about bees are reflected in the nuances of what is happening in her
own life. In caring for bees, she is also learning about
relationships and sense of community. Maybe that is something that
happens if you become seriously involved in beekeeping - you can't
keep at a distance, there is a deeper connection that develops. We
can all learn from bees.
There have been some excellent books in recent years about bees and
beekeeping: the fictional The
history of bees by Maja Lunde (2017) and the non-fiction The
honey factory by Jurgen Tautz and Diedrich Steen (2018). With
her absorbing and original approach, Jukes provides yet another
perspective on their fascinating world.
Helen Eddy
The elephant ride by Kate Bettison
CreateSpace, 2018. ISBN 9781984930217.
(Age: 13+) Highly recommended. Darcy's family are having a relaxing
beachside holiday in Thailand when Darcy finally gets her wish
granted - to go on an elephant trek in the jungle. It is all very
exciting until the elephant, Dao, sends her tossing headfirst to the
ground. Her family are convinced the elephant was dangerous and
shouldn't have been on the trek, but Darcy knows it was something
else. She saw the look in the elephant's eye . . .
Recovering afterwards with a bandaged wrist and a scarred face,
Darcy finds herself alone in her determination to find out what
happened, and why the elephant threw her. Her family doesn't
understand and even her best friend seems to have deserted her. But
Darcy persists and her research leads her to find out more about
elephants and the tourist industry.
The story is written in Darcy's voice, and gradually we come to
understand why she feels on the outer, with her family, her friends,
and at school. She wants to be taken seriously but she struggles
with self-image and lacks the confidence she needs to put her
viewpoint - until she starts to find support in unexpected places.
One of the nice things about this book is that the characters aren't
stereotypes. Bettison portrays the ups and downs of friendships and
sibling relationships in a realistic way. Even the mean 'popular
girl' is recognised for what she can contribute to Dao's cause. And
Darcy learns that the issues in the Thai tourist industry are more
complex than she at first thought.
I put the suggested reading age at 13+ because although Darcy is a
15 year old, it is a very accessible easy-to-read book, and the
issues of identity, self-esteem and self-empowerment are relevant to
the younger teenager. The book also presents the issues of ethical
treatment of animals, tourism and poverty in a way that all readers
can understand.
It is worth noting that the book is dedicated to Boon Lott's
Elephant Sanctuary and part proceeds from book sales go to support
their work. And an author's note at the end reveals the inspiration
for the story of Dao.
Helen Eddy
Another book about bears by Laura and Philip Bunting
Omnibus Books, 2018. ISBN 9781742991931
(Age: 4+) Highly recommended. Themes: Bears. Humour. This
wonderfully entertaining book consists of a dialogue between the
writer and the bear, as the bear, realising that yet another book is
being written about his species, refuses to comply. 'After all says
the bear, there have been too many books about bears; bears are
grumpy, lazy and a bit ferocious, and would prefer to be doing
something else.' The bear walks off the page leaving the author to
come up with a variety of different storylines to entice the bear
back into the picture.
This very funny look at the role of bears in children's books, has
the bear offer many other suggestions of animals to appear in a
book. Each is considered but rejected: the dodo? too extinct, the
horse? neigh, marmosets? too crazy. The quirky suggestions will have
readers laughing out loud as they consider a picture book about the
animals offered. Once bear has gone through all the animals he can
think of, the author and the bear come to the conclusion that there
is no one better than a bear but the bear still refuses. But the
author has an idea!
This hilarious look at the number of bears in children's books will
have readers of all ages laughing uproariously as they too will
question the representation of bears in books, and try to imagine
books where other animals are used and laugh again at the idea
offered by the author at the end.
Philip Bunting's readily identified illustrative style will delight
readers. The bear stares out at the reader, sometimes with only the
slightest move of the eyeball or eyebrow to tell the audience how he
is feeling, but each time eliciting a laugh of recognition. The
husband and wife team has produced a classic tale of standing up for
yourself and of negotiating change to make this happen. The dialogue
is snappy and funny, the different speakers denoted by different
sized fonts, while other bears make their feelings heard with
banners and signs.
The bear with his mobile phone trying to elicit help from other
animals is a hoot, while the end papers with an array of sharks
underlines the predominance of bears in children's books (and not
sharks, or dodos, or echidnas).
I loved this book and can imagine lots of discussion with readers
going to their shelves or the library to see just how many books
there are about bears.
Fran Knight
The fast 800 by Dr Michael Mosley
Australian and New Zealand edition. Simon and Schuster, 2019. ISBN
9781760850180.
(Age: Adult) Recommended. Following on from his very successful book
about 5:2 fasting diet and The 8-week blood sugar diet,
Mosley has brought together the latest research into when and what
to eat to achieve a healthy weight. This book subtitled How to
combine rapid weight loss and intermittent fasting for long-term
health is an easy to read book, giving details on a 800
calorie a day diet. It begins with a chapter entitled 'Why we put on
weight' and gives an easy to understand description of the effects
of carbs and raised sugar levels. A chart of the foods that are
found to be most addictive (with milk chocolate heading the list and
ice cream coming in second), is helpful as it provides the
information that it is the combination of 1g of fat to 2g of carbs
that the body loves so much (pg. 30). Details about intermittent
fasting and time restricted eating follow and new evidence promoting
the case for rapid weight loss is interesting.
Moseley is an advocate of the Mediterranean diet and there is a
useful section of recipes by Dr Clare Bailey, all of which appear to
be easy enough and delicious enough for a busy person to shop for
and make. There are also meal planners to follow, for both 3 meals a
day and 2 meals a day, for those wishing to have additional help on
eating the right foods and amounts to lose weight. Exercise and
beating stress are also emphasised and have a chapter each with
achievable ideas and goals to improve health. The fast 800 is a quick accessible read, and makes a very
good case for losing weight fast using the Mediterranean diet and
intermittent fasting and then maintaining that loss for a healthy
lifestyle.
Pat Pledger
Lucy Newton, little witch by Phoebe McArthur
Christmas Press, 2019. ISBN 9780648194507
(Age: 5+) Recommended. Themes: Witches. Spells. Cautionary tale.
Lucy's mother, a witch, leaves the house on the way to a meeting.
Lucy is a little peeved as Mum seems to always be at meetings,
leaving her alone. Only one instruction is given: not to go into the
study. Lucy plays with her doll for a while, but as the doll's arm
is falling off, she searches the house for needle and thread to
repair the toy. Unable to find these, she ventures into the study,
thinking about the last time when she accidentally called up a spell
resulting in porridge spreading through the house. Of course she
opens the spell book, but determined not to make the same mistake
again, she starts to close it, but sees a spell for a cat, and tries
it out. After all with a cat for company she does not need the doll.
But of course things go wrong, instead of a cat she has a nasty
green, slimy slug. But help is at hand when the book begins to talk
to her, offering its help. To stop the slug she must find the white
hairs from a cat, and in doing this finds a friend in Thomas the cat
next door, and as it turns out his mistress as well.
With nods to The sorcerer's apprentice, this easily read
cautionary tale will reinforce the reasons instructions are given
and the consequences of not obeying them.
Funny illustrations by the author support the tale throughout the
book, splitting the text into easily digested pieces. Presented in
nine short chapters means early readers will have little trouble
accessing the book for their own pleasure.
Fran Knight
Clementine Rose and the bake-off dilemma by Jacqueline Harvey
Random House, 2018. ISBN 9780143780595.
(Age: 7-11) Recommended. Themes: Cooking. Family. Clementine Rose's
family and Penberthy House are preparing for the arrival of some
interesting guests - the stars of a TV cooking show, but
Clementine's mother doesn't seem to be coping. The local community
also goes into a spin when Clementine Rose lets the news of the
guests escape. The planned bake-off is scheduled to include local
participants, who are all desperate to show off their talents.
Clementine is also keen to be involved, but it seems that children
will be excluded from the competition and filming. Clementine though
has a great idea, if only someone will listen. With a bit of
treachery, some intense competition, exciting family news, messy
cooking attempts, there are many moments of sweet delight in this
story and evidence of Clementine's detective skills.
This is the 14th in the Clementine Rose series by Jacqueline
Harvey and lovers of the series and the young central character will
be delighted with another intriguing episode in Clementine's life.
Recommended for readers aged 7-11
Carolyn Hull
The forgotten beasts of Eld by Patricia A. McKillip
Fantasy Masterworks. Orion, 2017. ISBN: 9781616962777.
(Age: 14+) Highly recommended. Winner of the inaugural World Fantasy
Award 1975. In my quest to read some of the award winning books that
I have missed over the years, I was very fortunate to pick up this
outstanding story by Patricia A. McKillop. First published in 1974,
the fact that it is still in print after so many years is a
testament to its lyrical writing and timeless story.
Sybel is a young wizard who needs only her magical animals, Gules
the Lyon, Gyld the dragon who yearns for gold, Cyrin the boar who is
a master of riddles, Ter the fierce falcon and Moriah, Lady of the
Night. When she is given a baby, Tamlorn, to care for, she becomes
embroiled in the politics of the kingdom and the world of revenge.
It was a joy to become immersed in Sybel's world which is vividly
imagined in a sparse 208 pages, unlike many of the fantasy books
written today which often are over long. Memories of McKillip's
dangerous world, her fantastic beasts and the love story between her
and Coren and the awful taint of captivity and revenge will stay
with the reader long after finishing this book.
Readers who enjoy stories by Juliet Marillier and Robin McKinley
will be thrilled to discover another author whose tales delve into
fantasy worlds. I will be pursuing other books written by McKillip,
who also won a World Fantasy award for Ombria in shadow,
which I have put on my to-read list.
Pat Pledger
